


fingers to the bone

by MiniNephthys



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Fluff, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:11:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4952932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Papyrus learns that feelings change with time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	fingers to the bone

**Author's Note:**

> Post-true pacifist ending.

Papyrus likes to think he’s been learning all kinds of things lately.

He’s learned more about humans than he ever knew while he was in the underground. How they all have skeletons inside of their bodies, for example. It’s amazing to know that Frisk, his dearest friend, was half-skeleton all along!

He’s learned some sadder things, too. How if he’d actually captured Frisk way back when and turned them over to Undyne, they would have died. Papyrus doesn’t like thinking about that too much, because he never meant to seriously hurt them, let alone…

Learning isn’t always fun. But Papyrus usually enjoys learning new things and becoming more intelligent. More mature. Not that he wasn’t those things already, but you can never know too much, right?

He’s learned a lot about Frisk in particular. Their favorite food aside from spaghetti is pecan pie, and Papyrus has tried to learn how to make that too, with limited success. He’ll get it right without setting fire to the kitchen, eventually! Maybe he should take lessons from someone other than Undyne… But who would be good at making pie?

They like to play a lot of sports. Dodging attacks in the underground made them fitter, and now that they don’t have to fight as often, they want to keep in shape. They’ve explained the rules to a bunch of them to Papyrus, and Papyrus’ favorite so far is bowling, which Undyne says isn’t even a sport at all. Frisk sided with him in the ensuing debate, and that made him feel good.

Papyrus has also learned that Frisk touching him makes him feel good.

It would be weird not to feel anything when something touches his bones. Imagine living without being able to feel your hands! So it’s not like Papyrus isn’t used to the sense at all, or anything silly like that.

But he’s not used to getting red in the face when someone holds his hand, despite not actually having any blood to flow to his face. He’s not used to feeling warm when someone leans on his shoulder while they’re asleep… well, actually, he’s not used to people sleeping on him at all. He’s not used to hugs giving him a flip-floppy feeling most people associate with their stomachs. He doesn’t even have a stomach.

It’s weird. Even if Papyrus has basically figured out what’s making him feel this way, he doesn’t have a clue why.

Who would know the answer to this mysterious question?

Well, if he thinks of people who probably have a lot of people trying to touch them all the time, he thinks of Mettaton. So that’s who he finds to ask.

Mettaton clicks his tongue at him. “Darling, it’s so simple. You obviously adore them.”

“Really?” Papyrus tilts his head. “But, I’ve already been on a date with them, and nothing!”

“Hmmmmmmm, and how long ago was that date?” Mettaton asks, stretching the ‘hmm’ longer than necessary.

Papyrus counts on his fingers. Then counts again. “Fifteen years.”

“Exactly. You’ve both grown marvelously since then, naturally your feelings of passion have grown as well.”

Papyrus isn’t sure of what Mettaton’s saying, but he must know more about the subject than Papyrus does. “So I should go on another date?”

“Now you’ve got it,” says Mettaton. “Have fun, but not too much fun, you understand?”

“Not at all!”

But Papyrus goes to seek out Frisk anyway. “Human,” he announces, “I have decided that we should attempt to date again.”

“Okay,” says Frisk.

“Although our first date was- wait, okay?” he asks.

“I like you.” Frisk leans up, not too much, and kisses Papyrus’ cheekbones.

Papyrus is sure he’s bright red now, and the lack of blood is totally irrelevant. “Um! Well! I’m glad you agreed to the plan!”

Frisk smiles, and even that makes Papyrus feel warm and mushy. “Do you want to see my house this time?”

“I would love to!” Papyrus would probably agree to any date spot right now, but something private sounds nice, because he would rather not turn into a pile of goop in public like he feels like he will at any moment.

He hopes Sans doesn’t decide to chaperone again.


End file.
